Going national
Something very interesting happen a couple of days ago. I did a Google search for last Sunday’s Eagle Tribune article “On YouTube and in the courts, a city and a cop do battle” by Keith Eddings, only to discover that it had gone national. Yes, it was picked up by dozens of other newspapers nationwide that are part of Community Newspapers Holdings Inc., the Alabama company that owns the Eagle-Tribune.
Mayor’s fundraising
Going through Mayor Daniel Rivera’s political campaign funds in the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance. Anybody can do it; just go to www.ocpf.us and then press Filers, Main page and write the name of any candidate.
It is very interesting because you will see who contributed and how the money is being spent. I have many questions but for now, I’m going to deal only with contributions from city employees.
On February 17, 2014, the Eagle-Tribune published an article by Keith Eddings entitled “Fundraising bonanza follows election.” Part of the article said, “Rivera made the task of raising funds for his mayoral campaign even tougher by voluntarily refusing to accept donations from city employees,” but even then, the article continues, “Dozens of city employees bought $50 tickets to Rivera’s inaugural gala on Jan. 4, led by police officers, firefighters and teachers.”
Most recently, on January 3, 2017, another article by Keith Eddings “Rivera posts early lead in mayoral fundraising” states, “They include at least three full-time city employees, who donated despite Rivera’s promise that he would not accept contributions from full-time city employees. The three are police Sgt. Fabian Guerrero, who gave $100 as an attorney using his law office address; Police Capt. Scott McNamara, who heads a union representing the police department’s superior officers and gave $100; and Jaime Melendez, the director of veterans services, who gave $20. Rivera said Tuesday that he would return their contributions or give them to charity.”
Upon checking on his reports to OCPF, there is no evidence as yet of having returned or donated those funds.
Among the police officers who have contributed to his campaign besides the above-mentioned, there’s Lt. Daniel Fleming, Sgt. Michael Mangan, Nelson Potter and Ariel Montas.
Please notice that Section 10 of Massachusetts General Laws requires the name and address of the donor. Interestingly, very often they omit the name of the employer or use a fake address. Sgt. Mangan used his mother’s address in Lawrence, even though he lives in Derry, NH. I checked his property tax bill.
Section 10: Name and address of donor; disclosure: penalties
Section 10. No person shall, directly or indirectly, make a campaign contribution in any name except his own nor in any manner for the purpose of disguising the true origin of the contribution nor unless he makes his name and residential address known to the person receiving such contribution at the time such contribution is made; nor shall any trust, foundation or association other than a political committee make a campaign contribution unless at the time such contribution is made there is also made known to the person receiving such contribution, the names and addresses of its principal officers. No candidate or political committee or person acting under its authority or in its behalf shall knowingly receive a campaign contribution, or knowingly enter or cause the same to be entered in the accounts or records of such candidate or committee, unless the provisions of this section have been complied with.
Violation of any provision of this section shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.
